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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23677291">I Can See You Now, I Can Feel You Now</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnailArmy/pseuds/SnailArmy'>SnailArmy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Mechanisms (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon-Typical Violence, Denial of Feelings, Friends With Benefits, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining, Slow Burn, sad idiots fall in love and also have sex sometimes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 15:34:32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,827</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23677291</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnailArmy/pseuds/SnailArmy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Marius wore falsehoods the way Jonny wore belts. Luckily, Tim didn't need mechanical eyes to see though him. When Marius said "I'm a baron," what he meant was "I want to be important." When he said "I'm a doctor," he meant "I want to be useful." What Tim couldn't see, though, were the feelings that grew between them.</p><p>Chapter count tentative.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Marius von Raum/Gunpowder Tim</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>98</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>and i didn't know what else to do.<br/>i wanted to put my hands on you.<br/>i wanted to tell you everything,<br/>but i ended up here orbiting.<br/>i can see you now,<br/>i can feel you now.<br/>from where i am, i can see you completely.<br/>-the Pieman, by the Mountain Goats</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tim had all but resigned himself to the lonely life of the immortal. As much as it pained him to admit it, he could no longer bring himself to get attached to people who would die in a mere few decades. And his options among the other immortals were, frankly, lacking. Jonny had been fun the first few times, but the violence and pain got old quickly. The man couldn't cuddle to save his life; he had tried. Jonny had literally chosen to shoot himself rather than cuddle. </p><p>Brian was nice, but he was too... <i>Brian.</i> Always giving, and even when Tim convinced him to let him reciprocate he could tell it wasn't the same. It tended to be like that when your body was made of metal and silicon. Ashes was good, when he was in the mood for their particular brand of love (and it did occasionally involve a brand), but they weren't exactly the type he'd take home to mum. Ivy and Nastya weren't really his <i>type</i>, and as for the Toy Soldier, well. He didn't want to open that particular can of ethical worms, not to mention the splinters. No thank you. </p><p>That left Tim with a lot of lonely nights. Which, he was starting to be okay with. There were lots of things to do in the whole of time and space besides sex. And there were lots of people in said time and space who were perfectly happy not having sex. And really, the more Tim thought about having sex, the less appealing the idea began to sound. </p><p>After a few hundred thousand years of lying to himself, the Baron Marius von Raum arrived. With him came a realization: when it came to lying, Tim was like a little baby. This new guy wore lies like Jonny wore belts, which is to say, badly, but there were a lot of them. And, much like Jonny's belts, the crew were content to leave them in place, out of fear of what lay underneath. Or because they just didn't care anymore. Mostly the second one; there was very little that the Mechanisms were afraid of. </p><p>There was quite a lot, however, that the Mechanisms simply did not care about, new crew members included. The not-Baron Marius von Raum seemed perfectly happy to go about his business as ship's "doctor," and the others were perfectly happy to ignore him as much as possible. </p><p>Tim was different, though. Tim was <i>bored,</i> and <i>curious</i>, and if he was very honest with himself, <i>needy</i>. An eligible young man who was not altogether bad looking, and who he would not outlive by millennia, was an opportunity not to be squandered. But Tim was not impatient. He would give Marius a few years to settle in, get acquainted with the rest of the crew before he made any sort of proposition. </p><p>At least, that was the plan. Only a few days after Marius' arrival on the Aurora, Tim found himself loitering in the hallway near the medbay. If he wanted to lie to himself, he would say that he just wanted to make sure Marius was settling in alright. If he was being honest, he would say that he needed to touch another person or he would go crazy, and not in a fun way this time. Neither option was really worth dwelling on, so instead Tim took the opportunity to admire the architecture of the Aurora. The various curves and angles were really quite fetching. He could see how Nastya- nope. Nope nope nope. He needed to get laid right this instant before he started having sexual fantasies about their starship. </p><p>He burst in through the medbay door, knocking be damned. </p><p>"Von Raum, I require immediate medical assistance." </p><p>--</p><p>Marius wasn't sure what he had been expecting when he finally tracked down the legendary group of immortal space pirates known as the Mechanisms. Maybe a tight-knit family, who would be happy to find someone else like themselves. Not the sullen group of roustabouts and knaves that would shoot him as soon as say hello, that's for sure. </p><p>When he first introduced himself, no one even asked to see the papers he had so lovingly forged to prove both his baronhood and his doctorship. They just shoo'd him to the medbay and told him not to bother anyone. </p><p>Well, he would show them how good he was at not bothering anyone. He would wait here, in the dusty medbay, and he would keep to himself and he would be fine with it. Totally. He had no problems being alone, he didn't want anyone else around anyway. Just him and his thoughts, that's the <s>Byron</s> Marius von Raum way. </p><p>He noticed, rather abruptly, that he had worn four deep holes into his desk where his metal fingers had been tapping. Maybe staying out of the way was harder than he thought. </p><p>If there was some sort of medical emergency, and he was there to save the day, then he wouldn't be bothering anyone. He'd be doing his job. He might not know that much about docting, but he doubted anyone else on the ship had actual medical experience. If they did, surely they wouldn't let Marius be their doctor. It's not like you take a perfectly good doctor and make him your pilot, or something. That would be silly. </p><p>No, if Marius was going to get out and see the brave new world he had forced his way into, he would have to manufacture a medical emergency so terrible that the Mechanisms would <i>have</i> to call on him for help. With his plan formed, he gathered his supplies and was just about to leave when someone burst, rather rudely, through the door. </p><p>"Von Raum, I require immediate medical assistance."</p><p>It was Gunpowder Tim, the ship's master-at-arms and the most beautiful man Marius had ever seen. He did not appear to be bleeding, missing limbs, or in any way requiring immediate medical assistance. </p><p>"You've come to the right place." Probably. Assuming he didn't need actual medical attention. Marius was in way over his head, wasn't he? </p><p>"This is going to sound forward of me." Tim was walking towards him, with a fire and a desperation in his eyes that made Marius's mouth water and his knees weak. No, this was <i>decidedly not</i> the time to be lusting after a man he just met and who was apparently having a medical emergency. "But I really need you to kiss me." </p><p>Oh. </p><p>Maybe Marius was qualified for this job after all. </p><p>--</p><p>"I really need you to kiss me."</p><p>Tim braced himself for the laughter, the disgust, the awkward silence. No one in their right mind would kiss a near-total stranger without warning or explanation, but if he had to find words to explain his feelings Tim was sure he'd explode. He could feel the fuse sizzling closer to the molotov cocktail of his bottled-up feelings as he watched Marius put down whatever he was holding--was that napalm? --and put his hands on his shoulders. </p><p>Then Marius leaned in, and all of the cocked tension melted away into his surprisingly soft lips. Tim grabbed him tightly around the waist and leaned down, returning Marius' gentleness with teeth and need. Marius moaned in response and brought his hands up to cup Tim's face, and it had been so <i>long</i> since anyone had touched him like that. </p><p>Abruptly, Tim pulled away. Marius looked deeply and personally hurt, but Tim kept his hands around his waist. </p><p>"I haven't been entirely honest." That was rich, considering who he was talking to. "Kissing is very great and I would be more than happy with just that, but if and only if you would be willing, I would also very much like to sleep with you. In, you know, a sexual way." </p><p>Marius no longer looked hurt, that was for sure. If anything, he looked very excited at the prospect, and maybe like he was going to pass out. Well, if he did, the medbay would certainly be the place to do it. </p><p>Speaking of. </p><p>"If that is something you're interested in," Tim said as Marius nodded eagerly, "we should probably go back to my room. Where there's an actual bed, and not, well." Tim tilted his head towards the operating table. </p><p>"Right, of course," Marius shook his head a little as if to clear his thoughts and separated himself from Tim. Before he could get too far, though, Tim reached out and took his hand.</p><p>"Please, I just- I need someone right now."</p><p>"O-okay. Yeah, I can do that." Marius stammered as his cheeks began to flush. </p><p>"But you can back out at any time."</p><p>"I don't want to." It came out forceful, defensive, but with conviction. Tim supposed that was a good sign. </p><p>"Okay then. My quarters are on the gun deck, follow me and we should be able to avoid the rest of the crew and most of the cameras. You'll have to watch your step for octokittens, though." </p><p>"Octokittens? Actually, no, you can tell me later. I would very much like to see your quarters now." For once, it seemed like von Raum was telling the truth, so Tim clasped his hand tighter and led the way.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Gun deck: (Naval) on a multi-decked vessel, a deck below the upper deck where the ships' cannons were carried. The term originally referred to the deck for which the primary function was the mounting of cannons to be fired in broadsides.<br/>-Wikipedia</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>in this one, i make marius sad and brian happy!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Marius woke up. He hadn't intended to fall asleep in Tim's bed, the other man still curled around him like they were snuggling for survival in a blizzard. It had just kind of happened. </p>
<p>Last night had been... good. Better than anything Marius had had in a long time. Tim was so happy just to be there with him, to touch and be touched, that Marius hadn't bothered with his usual persona of suave aloofness. They had loved each other genuinely and with the whole of their hearts, though ultimately very few words had been exchanged. </p>
<p>Marius ran his hands through Tim's soft hair, gently undoing the tangles that had accumulated during the night. Awake, his face had a feral energy, all sharp teeth and sharper looks. But here, in the pale light of the Aurora's "early morning" setting, he looked almost peaceful. </p>
<p>Well, he <i>did</i>, until a strand of hair caught on a joint of Marius' mechanical hand just as he was pulling away. Tim's eyelids fluttered and his mouth opened in a wordless expression of pain, though - blessedly - he didn't wake up. Suddenly the full weight of what they had done came crashing down on Marius. </p>
<p>All the love they had shared last night, it was never meant for him. He knew that all Tim needed was a warm body to fuck, not any of his sappy bullshit. Marius was a minor annoyance at best. A means to an end. A treatment for the unpleasant medical condition of being alive. Perhaps he was being too harsh on himself, but even the best case scenario didn’t look good. They would both be better off if Tim didn’t wake up to find Marius still here. </p>
<p>Slowly, gently, Marius untangled himself from the sheets and from Tim's embrace. If the other man seemed to whine a bit at the loss, well, that was probably just his imagination. The treatment had been administered, there was no reason to stick around. Tim would know where to find him if he needed anything else. He gathered his clothes, got dressed as quietly as possible, and stepped out into the hallway. </p>
<p>From there, Marius realized he had no idea what happened next. On one hand, he had the sneaking suspicion that he was falling in love with Gunpowder Tim, who almost certainly would never love him back. On the other, metal hand, he had been very distracted last night and did not remember how to get back to the medbay from his current location. </p>
<p>Luckily, he was a problem solver. He tapped gently on one of the walls. "Aurora? Are you there?"</p>
<p>A metal compartment slid open to reveal a computer terminal, the screen somewhat cracked but still readable. On it, the green glow of Aurora's text stood out against the black background. </p>
<p>
  <tt>&gt;&gt;I am always here, Marius. <br/>&gt;&gt;You would notice very quickly if my systems ever went offline.<br/>&gt;&gt;By the lack of lights, engines, and life support! <br/>&gt;&gt;(✿◡‿◡)</tt>
</p>
<p>Marius was never quite sure what to make of the Aurora's sense of humor. She had responded, though, and that was a good sign. </p>
<p>"Could you be a dear and show me how to get back to the medbay?"</p>
<p>
  <tt>&gt;&gt;It is physically impossible for me to take any form other than the one I exist in currently. <br/>&gt;&gt;However, I can provide you with a labelled map of the station. <br/>&gt;&gt;( ‵▽′)ψ</tt>
</p>
<p>"That would be great, yeah." </p>
<p>From inside the terminal, machines began to whirr and screech, and soon enough, a thin, plastic-y piece of paper was ejected from a slot that Marius hadn't noticed. It bore a crude ASCII map of the sector and two helpful stars- one marked "YOU ARE HERE" and one marked "MEDBAY." </p>
<p>"Thank you, Aurora."</p>
<p>
  <tt>&gt;&gt;Happy to be of assistance!<br/>&gt;&gt;（＾∀＾）</tt>
</p>
<p>With that, the metal panel protecting the terminal slid closed, and Marius was once again alone. Well, as alone as he could ever be, when there was an omnipresent AI watching over him. Map in hand, he set off down what was most likely to be the right hallway. </p>
<p>Now that the second problem was solved, he could deal with the (much easier) first one. Unwanted emotions? Time for his old friend Repression. The only thing in his life that had never once let him down. Can't be bothered by your feelings if you deny that they exist! </p>
<p>It was in this manner that Marius arrived safely back at the Medbay. Everything was exactly as he had left it the night before. He sat back at his desk, attention entirely focused on not thinking about Tim's calloused hands or the growl in his voice when he issued orders. </p>
<p>He was so busy not thinking about Tim, he failed to notice the supplies of his earlier mission - napalm, thermite, and an entire sleeve of off-brand space scout cookies - had mysteriously vanished from the room. In their place was the faintest sheen of a mucous trail and a few tufts of what may have been cat hair. </p>
<p>--</p>
<p>It was well into the afternoon when Tim finally awoke, yawning loudly as he stretched his sore muscles. It was the best night's sleep he'd had in centuries, and he was still feeling a bit groggy as he got in the shower and turned the water on. That was weird - his hands ran smoothly through his hair as he washed it. Normally it was full of knots and tangles in the morning, the result of another restless night. Weird, perhaps, but not otherwise remarkable. </p>
<p>He hummed quietly as he finished his shower and continued his 'morning' routine. <i>Oh my love, what madness can this be...</i> His regenerative properties probably rendered brushing his teeth redundant, but it was nice to pretend that some things had stayed the same. He was halfway through making his bed and tidying the clothing on the floor when he stopped short. </p>
<p>Two beige straps of fabric, complete with buckles, lying limp on his floor like forlorn slugs. Marius' boot belts. He would recognize them anywhere after the thorough dressing-down the crew had given Marius on his fashion choices the first day he came aboard. What were they-?</p>
<p>Right, last night. When they had- right. Tim sighed and picked up the belts, tucking them in a pocket for later. He would have to return them. Or maybe not. He could do everyone a favor, prevent one more belt crime from entering their world. </p>
<p>Though, it would give him an excuse to go see him again. He could explain what was going on last night, offer him a favor in return. Because that's the only thing last night was, after all. A favor, to keep the peace with the new shipmates. If there were any doubts before, Marius had made his intentions very clear by the empty bed Tim woke up to. </p>
<p>And that was fine. Tim already felt more human this morning than he had in years, in no small part due to the doctor's... <i>company</i> last night. And Marius had certainly seemed to enjoy that part. If he wasn't into all the sappy bullshit, that was perfectly fine by Tim. He would never ask for that sort of thing, he was imposing enough on Marius as it was. </p>
<p>Tim's stomach growled, and he realized with a start that he had not eaten in at least 17 hours. He should probably do something about that. </p>
<p>--</p>
<p>Drumbot Brain, ostensibly the pilot of the Aurora, often found himself with nothing to do. Aurora was more than capable of piloting herself in almost every situation, and she was more than happy to remind him of the fact every time he sat down at the bridge "just to check on her." </p>
<p>But sitting around doing nothing earned him the nickname of "Glumbot," and that wouldn't do, so he took to practicing the banjo instead. "Strumbot" was marginally better, but still bad, and there are only so many banjo tunes a man could play before his crewmates threatened to dismantle him for scrap. </p>
<p>So Brian used his time to take care of his friends. Cooking meals, doing laundry, cleaning up the messier bloodstains so that Nastya wouldn't throw a fit. And if anyone called him "Mumbot," it was never to his face, and he could live with that. </p>
<p>Dinner this evening was thirty-clove garlic chicken, a recipe he had picked up on some backwater planet from a space traveler such as themselves. Their story was perfect for an album, but alas, another bard had gotten there first. The Mechanisms may be pirates, but they were not the type to infringe upon another musician's intellectual property. </p>
<p>Recipes, however, were fair game. As Brain dished out plates of reconstituted chicken he noticed there were a few faces missing at the table. Both of the new kids, as well as Tim. Raphaella had probably just gotten caught up in her Science again; Brian had learned his lesson about interrupting her in the middle of an experiment. </p>
<p>Marius, on the other hand, wasn't usually one to miss a meal. The other Mechs <i>had</i> been a bit harsh about telling him to stay out of the way. It was possible that he would need a bit more time to warm up to the crew. Nothing a few homecooked meals wouldn't fix. Brian wiped his hands on a dishtowel and walked over to Aurora's nearest output terminal, conveniently located beside the pantry. </p>
<p>"Hello, Aurora. Is Marius in the medbay?"</p>
<p>
  <tt>&gt;&gt;Yes. He has not left it at any time in the past 14 hours. <br/>&gt;&gt;(^^ゞ</tt>
</p>
<p>"Send him a message, read: Dinner in galley, STOP, U R invited, STOP, Garlic chicken, STOP. End message. And let me know if he has any reply."</p>
<p>
  <tt>&gt;&gt;Can do!<br/>&gt;&gt;(o゜▽゜)o☆ </tt>
</p>
<p>Right. Now that that was sorted out, he could return to the task at hand, making sure the people who <i>had</i> shown up for dinner got the chance to eat it before they killed each other. Brian sighed, smiling slightly despite himself, and carried an armful of plates over to the table where Jonny and Nastya were already arguing over a tube of lipstick that had apparently gone missing from Ashes' room. </p>
<p>Marius showed up eventually, and seemed more than happy to accept the meal and the place at the table. Before long, he was deep in conversation with the Toy Soldier, who didn't actually eat but was happy to be included nonetheless. Brain just sat at the head of the table and took it all in. His motley little family, enjoying a meal he had made for them. He knew he would do anything to have these moments of camaraderie, regardless of the switch on his back. </p>
<p>From the corner of his eye he saw Gunpowder Tim enter and pick up a plate. That was good; it meant he hadn't accidentally shot himself again. What was interesting, though, was the effect that it had on Marius. At the sight of the gunner, he stood up, made hasty excuses, and left the room. No one else seemed to notice; least of all Tim, who took the recently vacated seat and picked up the conversation right where it had left off. </p>
<p>It was strange. Brian would have to ask Marius about it later. For now, though, he had a plate full of food and a heart full of love. That was more than enough for him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>AN: originally tim was meant to be humming Loki while he got dressed but i realized that, since marius has only been with the crew a few days, the events of the bifrost incident have probably not happened yet, let alone the album! so. you get stranger instead.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ngl this one isn’t that great. but. it's DONE so TAKE IT</p><p>Also, tim does little a vehicular manslaughter and cops show up in this one, so. Take care !</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nearly two weeks had passed before Marius once again found himself unavoidably face to face with Gunpowder Tim. Sure, Tim had come to the medbay (and on one notable occasion the kitchen) several times for sex, but they hadn't yet had anything approximating a proper conversation. Marius intended to keep it that way. He had somehow stumbled into a <i>very good thing</i>, and he was determined not to ruin it with anything as stupid as his <i>words</i> or <i>feelings</i>. </p><p>The Aurora was approaching an inhabited planet, and Jonny had gathered the crew together for some shore leave. Currently, they were all stood about awkwardly as Jonny went off on a tangent about "good violence" and "rat crimes." In all honesty, Marius wasn't really paying attention, but over the years he had gotten very good at pretending otherwise. An understanding nod here, a smile there, and everything would be alright. Besides, Jonny was only the first mate; if there was any important information, surely it would be the captain telling them. Marius had never <i>seen</i> the captain of the Aurora, but he had also only ever seen Nastya in blurry photographs. It wasn't unreasonable to imagine other cryptid crew members lurking in the depths of the ship. </p><p>Jonny finished speaking, and a rousing cheer went up from the other assembled Mechs. Marius didn't think he was <i>that</i> annoying, but he had only been here for a few weeks. After (allegedly) thousands of centuries, the melodramatics might get old. The Aurora started to shake as she began her descent into the planet's atmosphere, but Brian's piloting prevented the worst of the turbulence. Soon, the ramp descended and the door opened, unleashing a rowdy crew of space pirates upon the unsuspecting planet. </p><p>Marius watched from the ramp for a moment as the rest of the crew scattered in all directions, dashing off as if chasing some great purpose. He allowed himself the slightest smile - not of fondness, he told himself, merely enjoying the moment - before stepping onto the surface of the planet and setting his sights for the nearest town. He had some supplies he needed to pick up for the medbay. He could have sworn he had a full bottle of Flintstones Gummy Vitamins earlier that week, but when he double checked the medicine cabinet, the jar had been completely empty. No matter. It was a pleasant enough day for a walk. </p><p>--</p><p>When Gunpowder Tim played games, he played to win. He did, however, pride himself on his sportsmanship. The whole purpose of a game, after all, was to promote team bonding and have a good time. This was their first round of crime tag since Marius had joined the crew, and Tim was determined to make him feel included. He hadn’t seen the ‘doctor’ at crew dinners at all in the few weeks he’d been aboard, and the one time he did find him in the kitchen, well. Tim remembered how that had gone. Crime tag was the perfect opportunity to get him involved with the crew, and Tim had the perfect plan. It required a fair bit of set-up, but it seemed like they would be staying on this planet for a while. There was no need to rush. There was also no reason to slack off, though, and Tim wasted no time in stealing the first car he saw. </p><p>After that, it was a simple matter to find a safehouse and hack into the local vehicle registry database to 'update' the ownership details. Tim paused for a moment to weigh the odds of Marius taking an alias, but quickly decided against it, typing "Marius von Raum" into the 'name' field. Best not to over think it. </p><p>Tim took his time in driving to the center of the large city, circling the streets and admiring the views until he found the wealthiest-looking part of town. He drove up and down the streets of the financial district for a while before the perfect opportunity arose. A tall man in an obscenely fine suit stepped into the street, briefcase in one hand and phone in the other, and Tim couldn't help but burst out in gleeful laughter as he floored it. There were few things that made him happier than murdering capitalists. </p><p>His crime committed, Tim sped away, cranking up the radio and belting along to the milquetoast pop song that was playing. Sure, he didn't know the words, but that had never stopped him before. He was confident in the knowledge that Marius had been well and truly welcomed into the band. All he had left to do was not get arrested, find someone to be for the next few years, and possibly pick up some new toys. It was shaping up to be a very good day indeed. </p><p>--</p><p>Marius was having a very bad day. For starters, the store had been entirely sold out of Flintstones gummy vitamins, so he had to make do with "Li'l Critters Gummy Vites," whatever the fuck those even were. Then, when he tried to use the electronic payment device Ashes had given him before they left, the self-checkout register started beeping and flashing in the most <i>obnoxious</i> way! <i>Then,</i> the people who he <i>thought</i> were coming over to help him tried to arrest him, which was weird, because he hadn't even done anything illegal yet! So of course he pulled out his gun to defend himself, but then the cops pulled out <i>their</i> guns, and when he tried to shoot them (because fuck the cops) his gun. Didn't. Work. </p><p>He pulled the trigger, but it just made a horrible squelching sound, and then the cops got the drop on him while he was distracted, and now he was sitting in a frankly underwhelming interrogation room. He was handcuffed to a table, and there was a bright light shining in his eyes, and there were people yelling at him about a car? It was hard to tell, what with all the yelling and the bright light shining in his eyes. </p><p>"Could you start from the beginning? Imagine, hypothetically, that I had no idea what you were talking about. Start from there." </p><p>The person interrogating him - middle aged, balding, and with jowls that would make a bulldog jealous - grit their teeth and sighed. "Your car was positively identified as being involved in a hit-and-run incident."</p><p>Marius leaned back in his chair, as casually as he could with his wrist handcuffed to the table. "Oh, that's an easy one! I don't have a car. Case closed."</p><p>The cop - Marius decided to call them Spike, they looked like a Spike - scowled, which was weird, because Marius would have sworn they were scowling already. "It’s registered in your name."</p><p>"How do you know it's <i>my</i> name? I haven't told you shit. I want a lawyer, by the way."</p><p>"You have one." Spike gestured to the suited woman standing in one of the dark corners. She paused her frantic scribbling a moment to wave, and Marius waved back. Wow, he really was not very perceptive. "We know it's your name because that's the name associated with the payment device you used. If it isn't your name, then we will assume that the payment device was stolen, and proceed accordingly." </p><p>Well, they had him there, he had to admit. But how the hell had he acquired a car in his name? Marius couldn't remember visiting this planet before, and he hadn’t been here all that long. </p><p>The lawyer finally spoke up. "If you'll identify your accomplice, I may be able to get you off with a lighter sentence." </p><p>Marius' first instinct was to make a joke about getting off, but his last shred of common decency stopped him at the last second. Instead, his brain caught up with the first part of the statement. "Accomplice?"</p><p>"The man driving the car. He was described as, and this is a quote from eye-witness testimony, 'as gorgeous as the sun is bright, with ringlets of brown hair cascading down his shoulders like waves of fine whiskey. His eyes were like none I had ever seen, gleaming metal and hungry with a passion I could not identify or describe.'" The lawyer wrinkled her nose a bit at the florid prose, but there was only one man it could be describing. </p><p>"Tim."</p><p>Both the cop and the lawyer looked at him with disappointed resignation. "Does he have a... last name?" Spike asked. </p><p>Marius took a moment to consider this. "I don't <i>think</i> he does? We usually just call him Tim, or Gunpowder Tim if we're feeling fancy. Sometimes Jonny calls him Timopher, but I think it's just to get a rise out of him." </p><p>Spike sighed again and gestured to the two other officers standing outside the door. They came in and dragged Marius out while Spike stayed and spoke in hushed tones with the lawyer. Neither of them seemed particularly happy, and Marius allowed himself a bit of pride at that, even as he was thrown into a holding cell. </p><p>It wasn't until that night that he realized they hadn't let him keep his gummy vitamins. He swore loudly and punched the wall with his metal hand, making a satisfying <i>bang</i> but accomplishing little else besides. It was going to be a long - how long did Jonny say they were staying on this planet again? Maybe Marius <i>should</i> have paid attention to the landing speech. Too late now. Marius swore again, and sighed, and pulled out his violin. He may be stuck here with these insufferable bastards; but they were also stuck in here with him. </p><p>“<i>Liiiiiiiike whiskey laced with gasoline,<br/>
We’re deadly when we’re drunk…</i></p><p>Might as well use the downtime to get some rehearsal in.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>i don't always do research for my fanfiction but when i do it's looking up brands of gummy vitamins</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>ivy shows up in this one! love that funky archivist</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>this one might actually be entirely unintelligible i'm so sorry for the absolutely excessive amount of parentheticals</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>With Marius "safely" locked away, Gunpowder Tim found himself with lots of free time in which to avoid getting arrested himself and also to think about his feelings. Sadly, the first one took up the majority of his time; and, as a mechanism, he was deathly allergic to interrogating his own feelings. As such, he didn't get much further than "Wow, that Marius fella is a real character, huh?" and "I feel kind of a way when I see him, it's probably because he's so annoying" (Gunpowder Tim, while pretty, was not an introspective man).</p>
<p>Impressively, he managed to evade capture as well as his emotions, with the exception of 1. a notable close call involving a coconut tree and a stolen armored vehicle and 2. the thought "I wish Marius wasn't in prison so he could suck me off right now." Otherwise, the two decades passed in relative peace, and when the Aurora returned from date night Gunpowder Tim was more than ready to move on.</p>
<p>And move on they did, though not before taking a quick headcount and hastily retrieving Marius and the Toy Soldier from prison and a top-secret government agency, respectively. With another rousing game of crime tag behind them, Tim found himself suddenly bursting with energy in need of an outlet. When Raphaella refused to let him help with her experiments (on the grounds that "this is delicate particle physics, Tim, I really don't need you blowing anything up," which, he was no 'particle physicist' but that sounded like bullshit to him), there was only one thing to do. His good buddy Marius. </p>
<p>His good buddy Marius, who was nowhere to be found. Huh. Tim knew he was on the ship <i>somewhere</i>, he remembered laughing at some remark Jonny made when they were dragging him back on board. Now that he thought about it, the Baron Doctor had been conspicuously absent from any sort of crew gathering Tim had attended recently. That was... probably fine? Marius hadn't been around long enough for Tim to really get a grip on his habits, maybe he just needed some space. </p>
<p>It was probably fine. Marius was an adult, if he had a problem he could figure it out himself. In the meanwhile, Tim had plenty to keep him busy - Ashes picked up some new toys planetside, and unlike la Cognizi, they were more than happy for his help in their experiments.</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>All told, it wasn't the worst nineteen years of Marius' life (five for the original crime (his lawyer was very good at her job) and the rest for the repeated escape attempts). Wasn't the best, either, but he met some very interesting people and annoyed many prison guards into quitting their jobs, so he considered the whole situation a net positive. </p>
<p>Said situation gave him lots of time to think about his new crew mates. He didn't understand why Tim had framed him for his crime. It was abysmally rude, for one thing. All Marius wanted was to restock on his supplies and maybe do a few minor crimes of his own. The only explanation Marius could find that held up after near two decades of overthinking was that Tim hated him. </p>
<p>Sure, they had fucked a few times, but that didn't really <i>mean</i> anything. Lots of people had sex with people they hated! It just meant that he should probably stay away from Tim for a while, so as not to give him any more reasons to hate him. A foolproof plan. </p>
<p>A plan which turned out to be significantly easier when Marius was being forcibly isolated from the rest of the crew. After a daring 'rescue' by Ivy and Brian, Marius found himself once again in the relatively close quarters of the Aurora with a number of people who he was trying to avoid. Tim, for the obvious reasons. Jonny, because the man was excessively violent and frankly intimidating. Ashes, for largely the same reasons but also he owed them money. Raphaella, because she was uncomfortably interested in his biology and (as far as he could tell) not in a sexy way. Really, it was a wonder that he could go anywhere on the ship for all the people he was hiding from. </p>
<p>Still, this wouldn't be a problem, if not for the single glaring problem of his gun. Going unarmed on Aurora was basically asking to be bullied. But Marius' trusty sidearm had been mysteriously gooped and also lost to the bureaucracy of evidence retention, and both of the people who could fix that for him were solidly on his "avoid at all costs" list. Unless he wanted to weld himself into his room permanently, he would have to find a solution. </p>
<p>Luckily, there were still some crew members he was capable of holding a conversation with. They were even, on occasion, helpful. </p>
<p>"You really don't have a single weapon?" Ivy cocked her head slightly, but did not look up from her book. </p>
<p>Marius sighed, legs dangling over one side of the overstuffed armchair he currently occupied. "Nope," he replied, popping the 'p' for emphasis. </p>
<p>"You should probably do something about that." </p>
<p>"Yep." </p>
<p>A long moment of silence, broken only by the gentle rustle of paper as Ivy turned a page. Then another. Then another. </p>
<p>"Are you going to do something about it?"</p>
<p>Marius shrugged, realized Ivy couldn't see him, and made a noncommittal noise. "Are you sure I can't just borrow one of yours? I never see you using one."</p>
<p>"That's because I lend them all to Jonny, and he never gives them back."</p>
<p>"So what I'm hearing is that you're a hypocrite."</p>
<p>"Perhaps." Ivy turned another page. "I'll make you a deal. If you go get me another gun from the Armory, I'll give you first dibs on borrowing it." </p>
<p>Marius thought about that for a second. "How is that any better than just getting one for myself?" </p>
<p>Ivy actually looked up at him, expression thoughtful. "Because you'll get the warm and fuzzy feeling of doing something nice for a friend? And I'm sparing you the mortifying ordeal of asking for something for yourself." </p>
<p>That was... a very good point, actually. No matter how much Tim hated him, surely he wouldn't refuse a request on Ivy's behalf. And the warm feeling in his stomach at the thought of seeing Tim again? That was just because he was doing something nice for a friend. It was the perfect solution. </p>
<p>Marius sprang to his feet and dashed out of the room, calling out "Thank you, Ivy!" over his shoulder as he went. Soon enough, he found himself at the formidable iron door that marked the ship's armory and the haunt of one Gunpowder Tim. Before his anxiety had a chance to catch up with him, Marius knocked, the clear tone of metal on metal ringing out through the hall. </p>
<p>--</p>
<p>Tim swore quietly as he stared at the uncooperative loops of yarn on his needles. Damn those octokittens, with their adorable goopy bodies that just begged to be stuffed into hand-knit sweaters. Damn the internet, for only having patterns for terrestrial quadrocat sweaters. And damn his entirely inadequate textile craft skills. He should have tried harder to convince Bertie to teach him when he had the chance. </p>
<p>Before he had time to fall down that particular rabbit hole (again), Tim was broken from his thoughts by a knock at the door. Well, more of a clang than a knock. Must be Brian then. </p>
<p>"Door's unlocked, come on in. I'm a bit tied up at the moment." Tim looked down at the stands of yarn entangling his body. "And not like that, get your mind out of the gutter." </p>
<p>The face that peeked through the door was not, however, Brian. It was the goofy, grinning face of the inferior violinist. Was that too rude? It felt rude (never mind that it was true). The goofy, grinning face of Marius von Raum, then, who was a perfectly adequate violinist. And mandolinist, for that matter. And his singing voice was certainly above average. </p>
<p>Regardless of his various musical abilities, the man was in his room now. Was he finally going to talk about whatever the hell was going on between them? </p>
<p>"Oh, Tim, Hi. Ivy said that she needs another gun? Apparently Jonny keeps borrowing hers, and not giving them back, so I said I'd do her a favor and-"</p>
<p>Apparently not. Tim sighed and began to untangle himself from his crafting project. "Yeah, yep, sure, got it. The usual?" </p>
<p>"I-" Marius paused for a moment. "She didn't say. I assume so?" </p>
<p>Tim quirked an eyebrow. "Right. She wants you to get her a gun, but gave no specifications as to what kind."</p>
<p>"...Yes."</p>
<p>"This isn't for Ivy, is it?" </p>
<p>The effect of Marius' indignant expression was lessened somewhat by the blush spreading across his cheeks. "It totally is! It was her idea and everything!" </p>
<p>Tim couldn't help but laugh at that. "The only person on this ship more meddlesome than Ivy <i>is</i> the ship. Whether you realize it or not, you're not here for her sake. Now, Baron Marius von Raum. What do you want?" </p>
<p>Marius was still standing awkwardly in the doorway, and it was easy enough for Tim to stride over to him and get all up in his face. Marius was no longer grinning, and his face was very red. </p>
<p>In lieu of answering with words, Marius elected to lean forward and capture Tim's lips in his own. Tim couldn't honestly say he was expecting that, but neither was he surprised. He responded by deepening the kiss, grabbing the door frame with one hand and lacing the other through Marius' hair. His soft, soft hair. Marius moaned and slipped his thigh between Tim's legs, and yep, that was it. Tim broke off, quickly moving his craft supplies from the bed where he had been working onto the floor as Marius took off his shirt. </p>
<p>A few minutes later saw Tim in Marius' lap, putting his mouth on every available inch of skin. Marius was gasping and squirming, and it was all Tim could do to keep from grinning against his chest. </p>
<p>"Wait - hold on-" Tim froze and drew back immediately, concern clear on his face. Marius looked determined, but his expression softened when he saw the other man, and he put a hand on his jawline to comfort him. "Everything's fine, it's not that. I just do also need a new gun." Tim laughed, then, and dove back in to a kiss. </p>
<p>He had missed this, goddammit.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Kudos are great but every comment is another dollar in the marius rights jar</p></blockquote></div></div>
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